Jo Knits!

05.31

One more day before SUKI!!!!!!!! :)

ACK! That means that:

1- I need to finish the bucket hat for Lucas

2- Buy some 11US/8mm needles, I might just buy the 32" length and use my homemade 8mm DPN'S that I made for knitting the fuzzyfeet slippers.

3- need to figure out how to knit double strand from a single ball of yarn (I'm sure it's easy, just never did it yet)

4- make skeins into balls! This I like to do, maybe I'll coax dh into making me a nostie! ;)

5- wait until tomorrow for the official start!

Such a looooong day! ;)

05.30

Today, the kids go to daycare all day!!! :) I get 6 hours to myself, either I knit all day or I go shopping for yarn or....? LOL! ;)

I want to say thank you to those of you who take the time to read my little blog and more importantly leave a little comment. It brings a big smile to my face to see the variety of people who come by. I try to leave a little comment to my regular reads because I know how much I like to receive a little message. :)

Better get crackin' 'cause we'll be late for daycare, can't have that happen today! :P

05.29

Not a real post! Just showing off my kids! LOL! ;)

Click here --->> Waiting for Finding Nemo! :)

05.28

Yesterday I got a "I HATE KNITTING" kinda day! UGH! I was so bummed out after knitting a hat for Lucas that just didn't fit. Even after a trip in a hot wash. Well luckily for me, the pattern has a little quirk in it and it gave me enough courage to try knitting again! LOL!

I frogged the kitchen towel I was started, I just wasn't enjoying the pattern at all. I'll try something else at another time, I really would enjoy having a little towel attached on the oven's door to dry lil'fingers.

So today at my mommy and coffee meeting I started yet another hat for Lucas, seemed that I talked alot 'cause I only had time to knit the rim of the hat. ;) There was a mother there that went to the cabin last year and it was nice to hear how the camp is. She suggested that we bring only a few meals with us, mainly that we should take advantage of the fact that they take charge of the kids while you eat! Now that's something I like. Eat in peace while others keep your kids busy.

Ok, now for the INTERESTING part of today's post!!! I got a surprise package in the mail!!! :) Click on the package to see what was inside!

Someone, wanted to make sure I didn't miss out on this fun knit-along. I was shocked to receive this package though! Like the sender would most likely say is, well..... it was such a SURPRISE! lol! I am deeply touched that someone would go out of their way for me. I'm usually just a boring, don't wanna make waves, silent person. OH the box included a beautifully stamped card too, very cute and artistic, if this was made by my fiber fairy, all I can say is that, is there anything she CAN'T do? ;)

This will be the 1st time I use Cascade 220 yarn, it'll be a nice and softer change to the Lopi I've used on both felted projects I have done. I think I'm gonna fall back in love with knitting soon enough! ;)

Thank you, I can never say it enough to someone as kind as you! :)

05.27

How sad is this? Yesterday I had to go buy a knit gauge and stitch markers, surely every knitter has it's collection of gague and markers. LOL! I keep misplacing the gauge and keep breaking stitch markers. Those plastic things aren't worth much but I still went and bought more. I tried using homemade markers like a piece of colorful yarn, even tried my hand at making beaded markers (they didn't look as good as what I saw online). I just want simply markers that will last for a while. lol!

I just started a kitchen towel pattern, I have so much kitchen cotton that I thought it would be a nice way to use it up. :) It's silly but I find knitting dishcloths and now a kitchen towel, soothing. I feel like a pioneer! LOL! Knitting for my family, providing them with love in stitches. :)

This summer our family will go to a week long family camp, we'll live in a BIG cabin with two other families. Already I'm thinking of which knitting projects to bring with me. ACK! Can you imagine the horror of not bringing enough yarn! LOL! We'll be deep in the woods so buy some there won't be an option. ;) I'm thinking a sock project and maybe enough cotton to make dishcloths will be enough to keep my hands busy. :) I'm so excited about going away for a week. The place is filled with activities for the kids and has many chalets all around the lake. It has a capacity of 150 person and their mission is to bring families get closer together.

I'm so happy! :)

05.25

It's been SO hectic around here with Zoe's birthday but this week I shall be back on track! :)

To read about the birthday girl go here:

I have knitted a hat for Zoe in a two day period. I just now finished a hat for Lucas in 24 hours. I need to block them because they are so floppy. Here's a preview though of Zoe's hat pre-blocking. :)

For Zoe's hat I used a baby patterned from the Spring/Summer '01 issue of FCEK. The pattern used to make Lucas's hat is from a friend, she's created a few patterns and they are all dumb-proof! I KNOW, since even *I* understand them! LOL! So please take a look at Little Turtle Knits, if you're looking for a fun hat to knit, soaker or even booties. She also sells gorgeous yarn, it all looks nice on my screen! LOL! ;)

hugs and may the new week begin! :)

05.22

To all my Toronto living fiber loving friends, look up in the shy this afternoon and if you see a plane why not wave to my hubby inside! LOL! He has a training class to take today in TO, unfortunatly he can't snuck me into his luggage nor will he have time to yarn shop for me! UGH! ;) He should be back home tonight or in the morning, depending if they take the plane or train back to Montreal. :) Hopefully, he'll see enough of the city to want to go back with ME this time! LOL! I love Toronto but haven't been in at least 7 years. They have so many yarn stores, I'd need at least a few days there! LOL!

Ok, Zoe's hat is less than 10 rows to being completed, she loves it!!! :) I relaly like the fact that it will have only taken me two days to knit it! LOVE instant gratifications like that! :) I can't wait to start a bucket hat for Lucas but he'll have to wait until my friend writes up the pattern! LOL!

I really enjoy knitting with cotton, I tried knitting with it when I first taught myself to knit. Boy was it a PAIN because I was knitting so tight but now I really like it. Might have to try some cotton blends too, who said knitting in the summer would be boring? I'm having a blast! YES, I know that technically we are not summer yet but in Canada summer is so short that as soon as the snow is gone, we get shorts and sandals out and BBQ until the fall! LOL! ;)

Only one day before Zoe turns 4!!! I'm so excited. :)

05.20

We just had a 3 day long weekend here in Canada, the weather was beautiful out, so we basically stayed outside for the past 3 days! :)

I started a new project!!! :) Knitting Zoe a cotton hat for the summer, I hope it fits! :P I always seem to get the sizing wrong or something, so we'll see! If I'm quick enough it'll be done by friday (her birthday!) if not, well she'll still love me! LOL! The pattern is from an old issue of Family Circle's Easy Knitting, the Spring/Summer '01 issue to be precise. :)

The purple teddy bear is coming along slooooowly, it's been too nice to even knit.

Once again, I'm happy! :)

05.16

Ok, boring entry ahead!

Please have a special thought for me this morning, I'm going to the dentist and I don't wanna go! It's not like I can knit while they pull out a tooth. LOL!

Yesterday I started knitting Zoe's teddy bear, just look at the previous entry it's in purple instead of blues. I'm knitting it using moss/seed stitch, not sure which one it is. Basically K1, P1, on an odd number of stitches. Got that? LOL! I just got myself all mixed up! ;)

hugs, wishing everyone a great weekend! Tomorrow yard sales are starting, love that cheap bargain season. :)

05.15

My beloved Confetti sock is no more. Finally I had enough last night and frogged it. Why keep on knitting something when you aren't satisfied with it anymore? I like frogging though. LOL! Then roll up the yarn againt into center pull and tuck the small ball into the bigger ball of yarn.

So today I'll be back to using size 2US needles and get a 10stitch per inch gauge. So following Wendy's pattern will need some converting. I'll have to con someone into doing that for me! :-P I hate knitting math, I just don't have it in me.

I did complete all the knitting part of teddy bear at the mommy&coffee meeting yesterday. All the moms thought it'll look so cute once done. I'm amazed, it's simply a garter stitch project, nothing fancy and yet everyone liked it. I just hope Lucas does too!

I saw this knit along on a blog then followed link and link to this: Bair Isle knit along, you can even buy a kit all ready made up for your convenience here: ThreadBear fiber arts. I hear these guys are really the best to order from, can't say I never did. There blogs are fun to read though! :)

hugs,

05.14

Was to be at the daycare 7 minutes ago! I'm always late! ACK!

I've started yet another blog: it has nothing exciting but it'll be a place where I talk more about family life and obviously my own! ;) Some things in my own view just didn't fit like being said on a knitting blog. That's just me though.

Knitting, I'm almost done with the teddy bear for Lucas, bringing along the Confetti sock for the mommy&coffee group. It'll just be more frogging to do if I ever rip it! LOL!

hugs,

05.12

Mother's day came and went! We had a nice day outside with a few showers but still we spent most of the day outside. :)

The kids offered me crafts made at the daycare and my mom gave me a gorgeous white rose (my fave) and card. Dh already had given his gift to me last week, a cell phone.

I'm in a knitting rut, nothing I feel like knitting right now or any new fabulous projects to start. There is a Suki bag knit along starting soon but I don't have the yarn needed so I'll just look at everyone's progress. LOL! Then again it only starts June 1st, so I may find some wool by then.

I'd love to knit a cotton hat for Zoe, something cute but I haven't found anything to inspire me yet. Guess I'm just gonna go with the flow. I should finish the 5-hour baby sweater, there's like 3 rows to do and it's done, just like I should weave the ends of a wool soaker I made, lanolize it and actually use the soaker before it doesn't fit Lucas anymore! SHEESH! So then, maybe this week shall be a 'finish all started projects for once' week! LOL!

My wrist is still bothering me, funny how I almost didn't knit all week and now it hurts. At least my tooth isn't hurting anymore! LOL! I've been brushing like crazy and the kids are doing the same. At least we have clean teeth.

Here's a little smile from Lucas yapping away on his own cell!

hugs :)

05.11

Happy Mother's day!!!


You may purchase me the bouquet for $44.99 CDN + delivery, here! LOL! ;) Yup! I'm in a silly happy mood today.

I slept through the night pain-free, this is the best gift of all. Lucas slept all night and he was actually happy once he got up this morning!

I started a teddy bear using TLC Kids yarn in Beach colorway. Slowly but surely a bear will be knitted. Notice the "art" I added! LOL! I'm such an artist. ;) Also still working on the sock I don't like, not sure why! LOL! I like frogging I guess! ;)

Wishing all the moms out there lots of love and rest for today!!! :)

hugs,

05.10

Knitting update for a change: Nothing! LOL! ;) I think I will try to knit a little teddy bear for each kid this weekend. I have some variegated yarn and it might look cute. I really need some mindless knitting right now 'cause I can't count anything at the moment.

I'm so drugged up it feels great! LOL! Ok so yesterday we went for an emergency dentist appointment. I was so nervous but in 3 minutes the dentist was my friend! ;) Hey I got a freebie too, a new toothbrush.(2nd one from left) Yippeeee!!!!! How lame is that? I pay for x-rays, two types of meds and what I'm most happy is about a 3$ toothbrush, but I'd never go out and willingly pay 3 bucks for a toothbrush! LOL! So now I'm on meds for a week and next friday my hurtin' tooth goes bye bye! ;)

Last night I was such in pain we call the pharmacist to see if I could take a double dose of Motrin 400mg. At 9pm I was in bed, 4 hours later got woken up by the pain again (will this ever stop?) Took another double dose (like the pharmacist said) and back to sleep until 7am!!! WOW! I feel like a new person, I still need to take the other medecine all week but having alot less pain makes for a happier Jo! ;)

I don't like my Confetti sock, either I frog it or I just look at it in disgust. I'd like to find another pattern before frogging it. It gives me an excuse to rip it then! LOL!

Hugs, gotta go take my meds

p/s: Don't forget to brush your teeth, ya hear me? ;)

05.09

PLEASE do take notice in the time I wrote this entry! I am miserable! :(

I have a toothache, that's been keeping me up since 1am, I guess I've been tossing and turning alot because now both dh and I aren up. For the first time in months I slept with a wrist brace, it's not because I've been knitting too much since this has been the most boring knitting week since I learned. UGH! I'm blue, pain and no sleep can really get to you. Lucas is so cute when sleeping! ;)

Saturday's bowling night fundraiser brought in 902,50$ for the kids daycare so that's nice, I will still be on the administration board next year. Finally at the least meeting of the year, I felt at my place being there! LOL!

My Confetti socks just aren't coming along so great. I really don't like the density I'm knitting, it's just so loose.Maybe I can find a 10st/inch gauge sock pattern, I preferred when I was knitting the sock too thight for the gauge of the pattern I'm working with! It can't be that hard to find a thighter gauge toe up sock pattern, right? LOL! I'm so not good in knitting math, I don't get it at all. ;)

On a good note, yesterday I received my mother's day gift.

I sure wasn't expecting any this year and the kids already gave me there creations from daycare. Dh starts a new job next monday, yesterday they called him and said he should stay home, a new cell phone would be delivered shortly. I had my crafting class so he came over after getting his phone to show it off. He had me dial a number to hear the phone ring. It rang allright but then he handed me over a phone that was ringing and said I should answer my own cell phone!!! OMG! I made this face. LOL! I was in SHOCK. instead of getting the flip flop cell phone model, he got an older model and actually got 2 cell phones for the price of the flip flop. They have a "family" forfait and all is well. I can't believe I have a cell phone, I get lunch time, week nights and weekends free. Now if only I made friends so they'd have to reach me! LOL! Mostly this will be used for whenver I'm away from him without dh or alone with the kids in case of emergency. Amyway it's neat just to say that "you can call me on my cell" LOL! Last night I played with it a bit and it now says Jo Knits on the phone's screen. ;)

I'm such a child! I KNOW! :) Now toothache GO AWAY! Well it's past 5am, guess I'm ready for coffee. Luckily the kids will go to daycare this afternoon, I though it would be nice for dh to have a last afternoon "off" before going back to work. Of course with the night we just had I think we'll both be sleeping then! LOL!

Off to go read a few blogs on the fiber arts ring! If you have a blog and feel like getting a little hello from me, just let me know! LOL! I'm in a hello world kinda mood after 2 coffees! ;)

hugs,

05.07

TADA! The socks are "done", well.... almost! ;) I just need to knit them up a bit on the legs but it'll be smooth sailing to do so! :)

Check out the link Chris sent me, Lion Brand now has magic stripe yarn, doesn't it look strangely similar to some other company sock yarn!? Zoe's socks are made using Regia yarn, now check the 1st picture from the link. Amazing how they are similar colorways! Now the price..... very interesting part too! :)

Being that the Canadian dollar is moving up I guess it's almost frugal of me to buy from the US now! LOL! ;) I did see an online site with crazy colored Regia yarn for 3$ per ball. Of course I don't remember where! :-P

Last night dh was teasing me, on a classified ad site, he found a few weaving looms. One was being sold from about 10minutes away from us! ACK! 46" wide, it seems to have all the gadgets needed to start. I was drooling over the 1"X1" picture to site provided! LOL! ;) I wonder if the seller would be willing to show me how it works though! LOL!

Have a great day, rainy outside for us but we're off to my mommy&coffee meeting. I might try to start my own Confetti socks! :)

05.05

OK! I wrote an entry a few hours ago and the computer froze as I clicked send! I got mad, stepped away from the pc a few hours and just about finished knitting Zoe's sock! LOL! At least the computer is still intact, I felt like throwing it through the window! ;)

New passion of mine: weaving! I never tried it but now I want the biggest weaving loom ever! LOL! So a girl can dream until then... anyone has tips on making a smaller scale weaving loom!? We bought one for Zoe and it's basically a wooden frame with notches on the top and bottom to thread it. Anyway, I'll take a pic of her tomorrow, she's loving weaving. It's just so cute, she tells me: "mommy, let's knit together" as she weaves! ;)

Love that kid! Oh love the other one too, he does try to destroy his sister's art but that's why we go play outside so much! He can destroy in his sandbox! ;)

hugs,

Z, for Zoe!

To reassure Chris, I have not left the kids nor blogging! LOL! ;) Yesterday while the kids were at daycare, dh and I spent the day downtown. We went to a bookstore and spent at least an hour reading books and magazines, him about woodworking and muscle cars, me about knitting and spinning! ;)

I found this yarn at a thrift store and couldn't pass it up, it's only a buck and I figured I could always use it to make markers or making a "safety net" when knitting hard part that I may need to frog back too. It's even more pink then the pics! LOL! I tried searching only the brand but nothing came up. Yarn is made in France called Naiade, distributed by Diamond Yarns, it is 100% polyamide nylon and it's all PINK!!! ;) Maybe I could knit a Barbie doll dress with this!? Zoe will be receiving her 1st Barbie on her fourth birthday, which is sneaking on us very soon!!! She will get wooden train tracks too! LOL! That's my girl! ;)

Tonight I am off to go play bowling! WOOHOO! It's actually a fund raiser for the kids daycare and since I'm on the daycare's board, thought it would look good that I went bowling! ;) Zoe's godmother and her boyfriend will join us. It'll be a quirky evening, lots of fun for all the moms we will be without the kids but then Zoe's godmother and her bf.... it'll be something.... It's for the daycare and hopefully a few beers and they'll seem nicer to me! :-P The daycare will get 50cents for each beer sold! I NEED to encourage the daycare RIGHT? Teehee! Don't expect me to post after bowling though! ;)

hugs,

p/s: Zoe's 2nd sock is slowly getting there, I am just past the toe part.

Y, for You!

Little test for this fine rainy friday! :) Stole it from Miss Kerstin (she's finally back from vacation!) ;)

You're a Cappucinno!

What Kind of Coffee are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I'm off for the day since the kids will be in daycare for SIX, count them SIX long hours! LOL! ;) Shall I go to a new yarn store and stock up on sock yarn, maybe downtown and pass by Gap to check any specials on kid clothes. Where, oh where shall I go today!?

Who knows but one thing's for sure, I'll tell you all about it tomorrow! LOL! ;)

Have a grrrreat day and weekend! :)

p/s: I'm so sad Christy got voted off on Survivor last night! :( She was my favorite contestant and I think she kicked butt! I'm almost hoping Butch wins this, he then only one with Matthew that I'd be happy to see to the end! LOL! It's nice to know that Terri is also saddened by the departure of Christy! I just hope either girl that is left don't win! Since we all know they'll probably pose for some adult mag. once this is over anyway! :-P

X, for Xtra!

Got up, as usual with brain saying "must get coffee, must get coffee". Look out side, oh after 3 fun filled days of spending all my time outside in the sun, it's raining. "Must get covffee, must get coffee" AHA! In front of the coffee machine, water's already in. Cool! Filter is ready to do it's thing! Great! Now it only needs coffee. Grab to coffee tin. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAh! Ok run around, check every cupboards. Oh dear! So I declare loudly that this morning will not be good and then, just then do I hear my mom laughing at me! LOL! "Guess you're off to Loblaws, right?" she adds. Oh how I love my mom! LOL! ;)

First toe up sock is 'done'. I still need to finish the leg part but I'mm going to start the second sock and finish the first one after. I'm starting the second sock with a bigger 'left-over' ball of Regia so I'll then complete the 1st one with the colors I ended the 2nd sock. Got that?

Hey no coffee in me, don't expect me to right all good! ;)

Sock pic:

This is like sweet victory, I think I'll be making a few pairs of socks now. :)